DISCLAIMER: Okay we own nothing except Alex, Kathy and Ruth. Nothing written here is intended to be disrespectful of the real Band of Brothers.

Okay so this is posted under my pen name, but this is actually a three-person story. My other writers in crime are; ILoveboyswhosparkle and Ber1719…we are working together to try and make something funny and a little different. Hope everyone out there enjoys our efforts…we know we are. :)

Chapter 7

Nixon thought about what she said, he didn't understand it, but at least it explained things. "Good, I'm glad at least I know everything was okay…it was okay right?"

This time Alex did laugh, "oh yeah, more than okay."

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When Nixon finally found Dick, he was crouched down looking over the field that Easy was clearing. "Hey you okay?"

The look Dick gave him was slightly vacant, "yeah, you got something to drink, water; I mean do you have any water?"

Taking his canteen out and sniffing it, Nixon handed it over, "here, it's only water. I thought you might like to know that Kathy is here."

Dick raised his eyebrows and handed Nixon back his canteen. "Yeah, what's she doing this far forward?"

"Well it seems as if Doc Roe has recruited another medic." Nixon said with his famous smirk.

"Yeah, well that's good; I'm sure Doc could use the help and I guess if she doesn't mind."

Nixon looked back over his shoulder, "yeah well, she doesn't and her and Doc seem to get along very well, so it works out for everyone. I'm heading back to regiment, I'll see you later."

Dick watched Lew go wondering what he meant by Doc and Kathy getting along very well.

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Unfortunately, Dick wasn't able to find time to be with Kathy. Immediately following the crossroads incident, Sink had offered him battalion command and Moose Heyliger was now the commander of Easy. While not what Dick would have liked, he knew he'd left Easy in capable hands.

However, in his time away, he had noticed what Nixon had meant when he said that she and Doc got along very well. When he'd finally gotten a chance to track her down he'd gone to the first place he expected her to be only to find out from Alex that she was with Doc. Upon hearing this, he'd studied Alex's face, trying to gage what was really going on, only to find it blank. He might as well have tried to read the wall.

He decided to do something that was uncharacteristic of him; he asked what was going on. "So", taking a moment to clear his throat, "I heard that Kathy is spending a lot of time with Doc."

Alex stopped working and actually looked at Dick. When her eyes met his, she saw his face go red as his hair. "Dick, she has to have something to do and well, Doc makes her feel needed and wanted. I've been a little busy the last couple of days since Ruth is avoiding Nixon, so it's good she has someone to spend time with. It's not like you spend a lot of time with her."

Dick looked down at his boots, "yeah well I've been trying but between giving up Easy and trying to run this battalion, there just isn't enough time in the day."

"Dick, you don't have to make excuses, she does understand, but you have to understand that Kathy needs to feel a part of something." Alex's voice was surprisingly gentle. "She really does like you."

Deciding to move the subject off him, "So what were you saying about Ruth avoiding Nixon? I thought it was just the opposite."

"Ha, you'd have thought so right? Nope, now she is playing 'miss hard to get,' but I know something she doesn't. Nixon is avoiding her as well, hence why I'm sitting here when it should be her. Yeah and she also doesn't think I know she's in love with him, so there is my little happiness in all this." The smile she gave him reminded him of a cat closing in on a mouse.

Clearing his throat again knowing he was heading into dangerous territory, "so what about you?"

She looked at him confused, "what about me?"

"Well it seems that your two friends have found someone to spend time with, isn't there anyone you're interested in?"

Her laughter was actually one of the nicest things Dick had heard in a while and he had the strong feeling he was one of a few who'd ever heard Alex truly laugh.

Finally after wiping the tears from her eyes, "nope no one for me, I'm just having fun watching everyone around me."

"So you're not interested in Speirs?"

For a moment, Alex didn't respond and Dick thought he might have said something wrong, and then finally frowning she answered. "Well I know I'm interested in something just not sure it's with him. The man is too pushy and too controlling."

It was Dick's turn to frown, "yeah but I can tell you that based off that kiss he gave you and how pissed off he was when he thought you were the one missing, I'd say you have a fan. Well I need to get going; I'll talk to you later."

Alex thought about what Dick said. Yeah she couldn't deny he was handsome enough and that kiss had been one of the best ever she'd had, but why he did it and his exact feelings were a mystery. Shrugging she went back to her work, Speirs could wait.

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"I have something here you might be interested in." Nixon waved the piece of paper he was holding in front of Dick.

"No, if that is paper get it out of here; I don't want to see any more paper." Pausing for a moment to look at how happy Nixon was, "what is it?"

Looking at the paper he held in his hand, "what this?" waving the paper again, "I didn't think you were interested, but this is a four day pass to Paris, and it has your name on it."

Dick frowned for a moment as Lew dropped the paper on the desk. Almost afraid to pick it up he looked back at Lew, "you're serious, four days in Paris."

"Uh huh, I just thought that with how busy you've been that it might be a good opportunity for you to ask a certain lady to go with you."

Smiling Dick grabbed the paper and headed out the door. As an afterthought, he stuck his head back around the corner, "thanks Lew."

He found Kathy and Roe together in the makeshift aid station putting supplies away. The swarthy Cajun was making her laugh and Dick found he had to take a couple of deep breaths before he could speak. He was glad she was happy here; he just wished it were him making her laugh.

Trying to sound nonchalant, "hey Doc, Kathy, how's is it going?"

Both turned as one to face him, he took a little comfort in the fact Kathy's smile widened, and her eyes lit up when she saw him. "Dick, Gene was just telling me the funniest story."

Gene, Gene, when the hell had he become Gene. Once again taking a deep breath, "really that's great, Doc could you excuse us for a moment, I need to speak with Kathy."

Roe nodded and patted Kathy on the back telling her he'd see her later. When Doc was gone, Dick approached Kathy and took both her hands in his. "Well, you see I wanted to know if, well I've got this four day pass to Paris, and yeah well if you would like or you're not too busy…"

"Dick are you trying to ask if I'll go to Paris with you."

Sighing, "yes I am. I'm just doing a terrible job, so what's the answer?"

Kathy pulled him closer and kissed his cheek, "I'd love to go with you."

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"Is the coast clear?"

Alex looked up to see Ruth's head sticking inside the door. Crossing her arms, she shook her head, "if you mean HE is not here, the answer is yes. He went to take something to Dick are you two still at this?"

Ruth dropped into the chair next to Alex, "yes and I can tell you its exhausting work. I'm ready for this to be done, he has done nothing to try and get my attention and well…" Ruth screwed open her canteen and took a long gulp, still watching Alex from the over the rim. Nixon and she had gotten matching canteens, in some strange romantic gesture.

"Now you miss him, yes I knew it would come to this. As for why he's done nothing, I told him not to. I told him you would tire before he did." Alex ignored the hurt look on Ruth's face. "Look, you know you love him, why not just be with him."

Ruth gasp, "you knew, did Kathy tell you?"

"Kathy didn't have to tell me anything, I knew how you felt even before you slept with him, you just scared yourself because you suddenly realized you were in love and we all know 'Ruth is never in love.' So if you wait a couple of minutes I'm sure he'll be back"

Nixon came in the room, "who will be back?"

Alex watched as the two of them stared at each other in silence. Internally she was taking bets on which one would break first. Laughing as Nixon moved to where Ruth was sitting she realized she'd guessed right.

"Oh Vat, it's good to see you again."

Ruth broke at the affectionate tone in Nixon's voice. "On Nixy, I'm sorry I've missed you so much."

Alex quickly moved out of the way, as they started to graphically make out. "Oh come on, I've got to work here, can't you people take this somewhere else?"

"Yum, you taste like Vat." Nixon moaned. With each comment, Alex became more disturbed as the conversation got more intense…and about their love for alcohol.

"Knock, knock, anyone home?" Buck entered without being invited, raising an eyebrow at Nixon and Ruth. Apparently, nothing had changed since he'd been gone.

"Buck you're back, I'm so glad you're here."

Alex's voice broke Ruth and Nixon apart and they watched in shock as Alex jumped into Buck's arms, kissing him on the check. Both Nixon and Ruth looked at each other and silently mouthed, "what the hell?"

Alex threw a look over her shoulder, "you two can have the office," grabbing Buck's hand, "come on big guy, tell me how your time away was."

Nixon and Ruth watched the two walk out the door hand and hand. Nixon looked at Ruth in confusion, "so you want to tell me when that happened?"

"I'm not sure. So…" Ruth trailed off. "Want to go have sex?" Ruth asked slyly shifting herself so she could fully face Nixon.

Lew smiled, "make up sex is always fun; sure," grabbing her arm before she could move to lock the door, "you're not going to run off as soon as we're done are you?"

Nixon felt his whole body react when he saw the smile on her face. "Not a chance Nixy, I intend for both of us to be too tired to leave this office."

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Kathy couldn't remember a time when she was happier. The last two days with Dick had been wonderful and seeing Paris with him made being here all that more special. As tonight would be the last night here, Dick had found a quiet restaurant where they had enjoyed a wonderful meal.

Dick had kept her entertained with stories of his life in Pennsylvania before the war and she'd told him stories of New York. When they arrived at her hotel room door, both of them realized they didn't want the night to end.

Kathy looked down to their intertwined hands, she didn't think from the moment they met for breakfast until they parted at the door at night that they had ever stopped touching. Now they would be going back to the men, and he would be back to the distant person she'd grown accustomed to.

Fingers under her chin brought her eyes to his. "Kathy, I want you to know this has been wonderful and well, yeah I'm not very good at saying what I feel so…"

When his lips met hers Kathy had to release his hands so she could grab his jacket to remain standing. No one had ever kissed her with the softness and feeling that Dick was currently displaying. She was only half-aware of the door behind her opening and him walking her back into the room.

She was fascinated with how he tasted, he was what she thought a warm summer's day would taste like. She'd have to ask Ruth and Alex about that, did every man have his own unique taste. Finally feeling stable enough, she let one of her hands slide up his chest to the back of his neck.

Dick sighed in pleasure as her nails scrapped across his scalp. He couldn't help himself as he deepened the kiss. She tasted like strawberries and he was having a very hard time remembering if they'd had them for desert or not. Sliding his hands from her hair, he finally found the buttons on her dress. Trying to free the first one was more difficult than he'd imagined. Reluctantly he broke the kiss so he could see what he was doing.

Kathy's eyes remained closed as he broke the kiss and she felt like she could float across the room. Dick's mumbled 'damn' brought her back to reality. He was trying to undo the buttons of her dress and having little success. His curse and the slight tugging on her dress brought back too many painful memories. Grabbing his hands, she stopped him.

"Dick please, I...I can't, it's not that I don't want to, but see there is something in my past and you see…, oh I'm just making it worse." She turned away from him and walked to the window. Taking several deep breaths, she tried to calm her nerves. She had to be some kind of a fool for turning down a man like him.

Dick watched as she walked away from him and then looked at the ceiling praying for something to steady him. Finally feeling under control again, he walked up behind her and put his arms around her. "Kathy its okay, I shouldn't have pushed, it's too soon."

He felt her body jerk and he wasn't sure if she was crying or laughing until she turned to face him and he saw the tears. Cupping her face, he used his thumbs to brush away the tears. "Kathy I'm so sorry, this is entirely my fault. I should have shown more restraint."

Her cold fingers against his lips shut him up. "Oh Dick, it's not your fault, you have no idea how badly I want to be with you, it's just I've never been with a man like this."

Sighing with relief Dick smiled, "oh, well I just assumed, which was wrong of me, that you weren't a virgin."

Chuckling, "well based off Ruth, yeah I would assume that as well, but Dick I'm not a virgin." Seeing the confusion on his face, "okay let's sit down while I tell you this."

Pulling him to the bed, she sat beside him and held his hand. "See I'm sure you heard from the men how Alex, Ruth and I met, well as they like to say, I was really the only one that should have been there that night. They found me in a bathroom crying, clothes hanging off me, you see my sick, twisted mother needed money and she thought the quickest way to do that was to auction off my virginity at a party she was having. The man who was the highest bidder showed up in my room and raped me, not once but several times. He was a sick man and thought it was fun to beat on me while he did it."

"I managed to sneak out after he left me and get to the ER so I could get the morning after pill. I know you don't know what that means, but it was to keep me from getting pregnant. They refused to give it to me unless I filed a report, which I refused, so that's how I ended up in the bathroom."

Kathy laughed, "you should have seen Alex when I finally managed to tell the entire story…needless to say some poor nurse must have caught hell, because she came back with not only the pill but a phone number to her family's private physician. From that point on Alex has always been there when I needed her."

"But maybe you understand now when I say I've never been with a man like this, someone who is gentle and treats me like a lady." Cupping his face with both of her hands, Kathy leaned in and kissed him. Breaking the kiss, she kissed her way along his jaw to his ear. Gently she took his lobe between her teeth and nibbled. "Please Dick, just stay with me tonight."

She felt his nod and released him. Standing she dropped her dress and stood before him clad only in her slip. Smiling she gestured to the bed, "I think it's big enough for both of us, why don't we get some sleep."

Dick stood and stripped off his uniform watching as she got into the bed and turned to face him. When he was down to his boxer shorts, he climbed into bed beside her and pulled her close, letting her head lay on his chest. Brushing his hands over her hair, "Kathy, you know I'd never hurt you and if I could I would gladly kill the man who did that to you. You mean a lot to me and whenever you're comfortable with us, then so be it."

Kathy hugged him and kissed his chest. Drifting off to sleep in his arms she knew then if given the choice to stay in the past or go back to her time she'd stay with Dick Winters forever.